A Westminster woman has been accused of working as a “money mule” for cyber criminals after allegedly laundering more than $1.8 million in stolen funds into various bank accounts.
Serena Lieu, 55, was charged in a six-count federal grand jury indictment on Tuesday, which included three counts of money laundering, according to the Department of Justice.
In 2019, Lieu was interviewed by FBI agents and given a “money mule” warning letter, notifying her that she was moving fraudulent money through various bank accounts. Despite signing the letter, Lieu reportedly continued her financial activities.
The Department of Justice said Lieu had opened 11 bank accounts at seven different financial institutions since 2017, which she allegedly used to transfer illegal funds on behalf of someone else. From July 2020 to February 2021, Lieu reportedly transferred over $560,000 into various accounts including Coinbase, a cryptocurrency platform.
Lieu was arrested on Wednesday, and has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
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